Waterspout Phenomenon Appears in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor

Posted on: 2024-09-28 21:19

A rare waterspout phenomenon, commonly known as “dragon sucking water,” was spotted near Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong on Saturday, September 28. The event was witnessed by many citizens who captured the entire process from its appearance to its gradual disappearance.

The waterspout occurred at around 12:30 local time, following a storm in Hong Kong at 12 noon. A funnel-shaped cloud formed under the clouds near Victoria Harbor opposite Hung Hom, and a cloud pillar protruded from the clouds, quickly rotating into the sea. The waterspout was accompanied by strong winds blown by strong air currents.

The waterspout lasted for approximately 2 minutes, with many citizens on both sides of Victoria Harbor witnessing the spectacle. They took short videos from different angles with their mobile phones and shared them on social media platforms. One of the videos captured the entire process of the waterspout retracting from the sea surface to the cloud base and dissipating.

The Hong Kong Observatory issued a special weather warning to the public at 12:55 pm, stating that a waterspout was reported near Victoria Harbor at noon, and that showers and violent thunderstorms were expected. People who were outdoors were advised to immediately seek shelter in a safe place.

According to the Observatory’s Senior Scientific Director Han Kai-kwong, this was the first time the Observatory had received a report of a waterspout in Victoria Harbor since 1959.

Types of Waterspouts

Waterspouts can be divided into two main types:

The first type is not directly related to thunderstorms and usually forms under cumulus clouds. This type of waterspout has a short life cycle and movement path, and generally does not last more than 20 minutes. It dissipates quickly after landing and rarely goes deep inland.

The second type of waterspout appears accompanied by severe thunderstorms, strong winds, hail, and other severe weather. Its formation mechanism and characteristics are the same as those of land tornadoes. This type of waterspout usually develops from top to bottom within a thunderstorm, initially forming a funnel cloud and then gradually extending to the ground or sea. Sometimes it develops on land and then moves to the sea.

Waterspouts generally appear in tropical and subtropical areas, but are relatively rare in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Observatory received reports of waterspouts on three days in June 2018, but they all appeared in the waters near Cheung Chau. The occurrence of a waterspout in Victoria Harbor waters was the first in 65 years.